Side-arm-bracket spring for cameras.



No. 654,79l. Patented m 31, I900.

.A. 0. GRAF.

SIDE ABM BRACKET SPRING FOR CAMERAS.

(Application filed May 1, 1900.)

(No Model.)

IT/Z190 In Nrmnn STATES PATENT Genres.

ADOLF O. GRAF, OF DEMAREST, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE MANHATTAN OPTICAL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

s|oE= Rrv1-ssA cKEr SPRING FOR CAMERAS.

SPECIFIOAIZON forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,791, dated July 31, 1900.

Application filed May 1, 1900.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADOLF O. GRAB, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Demarest, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Side-Arm-Bracket Springs, of which the following is a specification. 7

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved spring for the side-arm supporting-brackets of hinged lids for cases of all descriptions to force the side arm bracket into its locking position when the lid is opened and to remain in tension when the lid is closed, ready to throw out the lid as soon as the same is released from its catch.

Other advantages will appear later in the specification. I

For the purposes of illustration I have represented my improved spring as employed on a camera-case.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side view of an opened camera having my new spring applied to the side-arm bracket thereof Fig. 2 is a similar View showingthe spring in the position it occupies when the camera is closed.

Similar reference letters denote similar parts throughout the views.

A is the usual camera-case of an ordinary folding extension-front camera. 7

B is the folding side of the camera-case, adapted to close the case in its raised position and in its lowered position to serve as the bed on which the extension-front slides.

O is a side-arm bracket hinged to the support D on the side B and provided with an elongated slot E, receiving a pin F, fastened in the'camera-case. There are two of these brackets, one on each side.

Integral with the support D is an elongated piece of metal G, formed into a curved spring extending rearwardly or toward the camerabox at the point where it joins the support D and curving upwardly and forwardly, the convexity being toward the rear and ending in a forwardly-extending tip. When the camera is opened-that is, when the folding side B is turned down into its horizontal position the outer end of the spring G comes in contact with the side arm 0 and forces the Serial No. 15 ,038. (No model.)

upper end thereof to move outwardly, so that the pin F engages in the L-shaped end of the elongated slot E. When the camera is closed-that is, when the folding side B is in its raised or upright positionthe convex side of the spring G under some compression bears on thepin K in the bottom of the camera-case, as shown in Fig. 2. The result is that on pressing the push button catch H on the top of the camera-case to release it from the notch J in the side B the spring G throws out the side B with some force to the-point where the hand can easily grasp it and carry it still farther into its horizontal position. The end of the spring G now comes into play and throws the side arm 0 outwardly until the pin F engages in the end of the slot E, as above described, whereby the side B is firmly held in its horizontal position. It thus appears that the spring G has two functions: first, that of throwing out the folding side of the camera, and, second, that of throwing the side-arm bracket into locking position.

In order to prevent the spring G from slip ping sidewise out of engagement with the bracket 0, the end of the spring G is forked or notched, as seen at L, and the bracket 0 lies in this notch.

While I have shown my invention as embodiedin a camera-case, it is applicable to many other articles, such as writing-boxes, desks, trunks, &C.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A sidearm-bracket springhav-inga point of attachment to the folding lid of a case, and

having a convexly rearwardly curved portion adapted to bear upon the stationary bottom of the case when the folding lid is in its closed position, and having also a forwardly-curved tip adapted to bear on the side-arm bracket, said convexly rearwardly curved portion lyin g between the said point of attachment and the said tip, when the folding lid is in its open position, substantially as described.

2. In a camera-case, the combination of a folding side, a support thereon, a side-arm bracket pivoted to the support at one end and loosely engaging the camera-case at its other end, and a spring integral with the support and bearing at its tip on the side-arm bracket when the side is in its horizontal poin a notched tip and bearing at said notched sition, and bearing at its middle portion on tip on the side-arm bracket to cause the slot the bottom of the camera-case when the side and the pin to engage securely when the fold- 15 is in its raised position, substantially as deing side is in a horizontal position, substan- 5 scribed. tially as described.

3. In a camera-case, the combination of a In testimony whereof I have signed my folding side, a support thereon, a side-arm name to this specification in the presence of bracket pivoted at one end to the support two Witnesses.

and having at its other end an elongated slot, ADOLF O. GRAF. 10 a pin attached to the inner side of the cam- Witnesses:

era-case and passing through the slot, and a THEODORE T. DORMAN,

spring integral with the support terminating 1 G. A. TAYLOR. 

